Things Our Children Should Know About Christmas Pastor Eddie Turner Sunday, December 18, 2016 Matt. 1:18-25(NLT)- 18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. Joseph, son of David, the angel said, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord s message through his prophet: 23 Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means God is with us. 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. Anxiousness and anticipation is building in each child s heart anticipating the moment they get to open their gifts. ----------- When I give a gift at Christmas-I want them to hoop and holler! Eddie these pre-owned socks you have given me is the most wonderful gift I have ever received. My feet feel like royalty; they are so comfortable and the color is perfect. I have dreamed of having socks like these!! I am going to wear these socks every single day of my life!! Children know how to celebrate Christmas!! They are excited about everything! The lights, the candy, the story of the baby in a manger, the angels singing, the shepherds in the field keeping watch over
their flocks by night, the music, the gifts and even the wrapping paper is exciting to children-they enjoy it all! Remember years ago-how the wrapping of the Christmas gift was as important as the gift inside. We took painstaking care to select the right wrapping paper, with the perfect bow because our gift was special and we wanted to present it in a special way. Things our Children Should Know about Christmas 1). Christmas is about Christ: Luke 2:8-11(NKJV)- Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Franklin Graham correctly said- the world doesn t like Christ-so it refuses to even use the name Christ-thus calling this season- Happy Holidays, instead of Christmas. Christmas is about Christ! The word Christ is not the last name of Jesus-it was his title! The word Christ means holy one, anointed one. - To be anointed meant to have sacred oil poured over one s head because God had chosen this person for a special task. Priest, Prophets and Kings were anointed. In fact, Kings were anointed with oil instead of receiving a crown.
Zechariah 9:9(NKJV)- Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey John 12:12-15(NKJV)- 12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel! 14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15 Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey s colt. Christmas is about God sending a Holy King to earth to rule and reign Another title which was used then and still today is the title Lord. To call Jesus, Lord is using a term for addressing royalty, like saying Your Majesty, or Your Highness. To use the word Lord displays an attitude of obedient submission to a greater power. - Christmas is about Christ the Arrival of a King! These unnatural occurrences signify that Christmas is about God sending a King to earth and He has a right to reign over us. And those of us who call him Lord submit to His reign over our lives! 2). Jesus was born into a family:
Matt. 1:18-25(NLT)- 18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. Joseph, son of David, the angel said, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord s message through his prophet: 23 Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means God is with us. 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. Our children should be taught that family is important all the time, but especially at Christmas! The God of heaven surrounded with multitudes of unbelievable magnificent angelic beings continually crying, Holy, Holy, Holy - wanted His Son to be a part of a family! A guardian possibly; grandparents acting as parents; a single mom or dad; a foster family or adopted family, uncles and aunts being mom and dad. Family is a community of love, acceptance, accountability and nurturing. Even the Son of God, who lived for eternity past in heavenly bliss realized that to survive earth-he must be a part of a family!
It s important that our children know that Christmas is about family. Christ was born to a family, He was raised by a family, His adult life involved His family and when He died on the cross He honored His family! John 19:25-27(NLT)- Standing near the cross were Jesus mother, and his mother s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, Dear woman, here is your son. 27 And he said to this disciple, Here is your mother. And from then on, this disciple took her into his home. Jesus was born into a family! ------------- 3). A Lesson Christmas Teaches us; We Can Trust God in the Circumstances of Our Life Luke 2:1-7(NIV)- In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. - 1). Christmas is about Christ: 2). Jesus was born into a family: 3). We Can Trust God in the Circumstances of Our Life